Bout of Books Tuesday

So you know I thought yesterday was bad, well today hadn't happened!

So here is my very sad overview:

Books I've read from:  Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness and Dead and gone by Charlaine Harris

Pages read today:  20 pages and 40mins of audio books
Books finished today:  X

Running total:  1 books; 126 pages   

Non-reading progress: I did have a look at some blogs and went for a picnic/drive with my mum :)
Menu: Chai Tea, fresh Coffee and homemade fish pie

Today #insixwords: NO EVOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY!

And now the excuses. My folk's are going away for 3 weeks *celebration dance* on Monday, and this has resulted in my mum and I spending some more time together before they leave. So yesterday we went for a drive, bought some tasty food and sat beside a very wind/cold Lady-bower reservoir, to do our best Stiff Upper Lip impression and pretend that we didn't notice the weather!

Then drive around Derbyshire and marvel at how hilly it is, yes be have moved from near Cambridge were it is flat. So hill, real hills, are a very exciting phenomenon to us :P

So after arriving home very sleepy from the excitement I then cooked a fish pie from scratch (Thank You Saint Delia) though I did managed to listen to my audio book then!

Watched TV because was to tired to read (I know it upsets me too but if am too tired I just cant follow the plot!)

Wednesday shall be a better day I promise! 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Am unsure where to start this review so I will just dive in and hope it makes sense....

When starting the book as I earlier confessed I found it a bit of a struggle to get into. It wasn't that it was bad it just wasn't grabbing my attention, however I have to admit this all changed as the story unfolded and the characters developed.

I found myself consumed by the story, it was slightly unpredictable in places. I think I may have scared a fellow walker a few mornings ago when there was a twist and forgetting the time and place (7am in a valley in Derbyshire) went "WHAT?!" to myself and the reader, of course not realizing there was someone walking behind me on the path to my left. Needless to say we did not do our polite "Morning" to each other  but instead I pretended to still not realize and stare at the view, as they raced pass the crazy book lady also politely ignoring me!
Personally if a book can shame me, because am caught up in it, then I think its good.

We follow Dianna as she calls a manuscript as part of her research, of course being a book its not just any manuscript and she is learning about the consequences and part of her fate through the book.

At the start I feel I couldn't connect with Dianna, as the book progressed though I found myself relating to her and hoping for the best. I think I started to connect with her as Harkness describes Dianna's loss of her  parents. My farther passed away 11 years ago, and I really understood with how you can accept something as part of your own life story but occasionally it consumes you. Similarly the difficulty of others comparing you to your parents, while knowing traits/stories you where unaware of them having.

Another part that I enjoyed were the different takes on things such as daja vu ect. the theories (which I will leave you to discover) appeared seamless making the book appear more of a reality than a work of fiction. There where defiantly Twilight flash backs in parts. I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing as I am a fan however it will be interesting to see how far these go in the next books, if they are too similar I feel the books will loose their appeal. I do accept that in all books there are similar themes and idea which get reshaped and reformed, its inevitable, though it doesn't stop me preferring my original, or craving something different.

I've also noticed that thanks to the book I have a bigger interest in Tea (Diannas favourite drink) this may be coquidental, though the people at Tea Pigs should properly send Harkness a Thank you letter :P

Overall I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I loved the book by the end and immediately started Shadow Night however it did take a while for me to get into.

Bout of Books Monday

So my first Readathon has not gone as I hoped so far, but there is still an afternoon and an evening to go (and then a week).

Having set my alarm for 6.30am to start my walk/listen to audio book, I didn't get myself out of the house until 9!
I have had a bit of a possitive turn as I have finally finished my 20 Hours of A discovery of witches which means I can finally write my first review for my blog and for Bout of Books. It feels like a big blogging mile stone.....so YAY!

However I have been trying to write this post/review since 11 today, so really am trailing a bit behind in my targets for myself.

Trying to get back on track I will write/post my review and then spend the afternoon under a blanket with a never ending cup of Chi Tea and get cracking!

To give you a quick update of my reading....
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness..........FINISHED XD
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris.............Page 18
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.....28.04 mins into Chapter 2 Part 1 (chapter 2 in real book)

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UPDATE

So yesterday wasn't as productive as I expected, I think I read more than I believed I had, however still need more time. Was one of those days where you should have loads of time but can't really seem to get 5 minuets, or you just get into your book and someone would go "Sarah can you come here for a minuet?" GRR

Books I've read from:  A discovery of witches by Deborah Harkness and Dead and gone by Charlaine Harris

Pages read today:  106 pages and 1hr 20mins of audio books
Books finished today:  1

Running total:  1 books; 106 pages   

Non-reading progress: I did have a look at some blogs and wrote/published my first book review (since I was in secondary school!) a
Menu: Chai Tea, Chocolate Flake tea,  and roast chicken

Today #insixwords: Firsts, not enough time, read more!!

SO am hoping to finish Charlaine Harris Dead and Gone today, though then I have run out of the series so might not finish them this bookathon. As a result I will review the series up till here and then hopefully review the series as a whole at a later date.

CURRENTLY READING

     

How did your first day go? Any tips for a first timer? 

Bout of Books Read-a-thon Sign up

Big renouncement .... Am entering Bout of Books Read-a-thon boutofbooks.blogspot.com/ this year. Not only is it my first year entering but its also my first ever! So some very exciting things to come YAY

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I cant wait for it to start am already in serious training for it...queue the theme from Rocky :P

Hopefully I have followed the sign up correctly since now am getting first blogging/read-a-ton nerves, as I am not aware of a current term for this I shall be calling it COLD PAGES from here on! 

Time Devoted to Reading

I will be reading ALL WEEK!! which is just too exciting. I am waiting to get confirmation on when I get to start my new job (which is also very exciting) so if I have work during the week my reading will have to fit around it.

My Goals

1. To really get stuck in and enjoy my first Book-a-thon
2. Join in as many twitter chats at I can
3. Get tasty snacks so I am not jealous of others snacks
4. Try and add to my normal page count
5. Try to vary some of my reading
6. Find other devoted readers

Books to Read

Most likely The Sookie Stackhouse novels though will update nearer the time, when I have my book pile better assembled. Will also be listening to audio books so will also have to update as to which book am listening to at the time.

Any advice or snack recommendations please comment :)

Hello

Hey sorry it's taken a bit to get this post out, only just started the blog last night, and apparently am behind the tech times, it took me forever to work out how to use the layout and even what gadgets I wanted on it! 

So please forgive me of this blog is a bit (ok massively) pants for a while, I think am going to have several teething problems! Though I do really hope the blogosphere sticks with me for a while. 

I guess at this point you might like to know a little about me, well am 21, addicted to books if there was a fancy rehab somewhere for books I would be admitted, and suffer several re-lapses on my way to recovery. Asides from this I love to cook and bake so if am not glued to a book I tend to be in the kitchen, got a problem with ginger cake at the moment, as in I've made up a tasty recipe and can't stop making it!

This afternoon I joined the National Trust, yes I am just that cool! This may not seem important but to me is a bit of a new leaf/turning a corner thingy, I have decided to try and get fit, after all sitting down reading books and eating cake is never good for you long term. Plus having just suddenly having go move to the lovely Derbyshire (having grown up near Cambridge/Hertfordshire) I think am starting to put down some roots and there lots of lovely places to visit here and walk. So for me splashing out £20 on a membership is like saying "yep am going to stay" rather than "I will leave as soon as I can" (also loads cheaper than a gym with less people seeing me look all gross while trying to work out!)

As the title of the blog suggests am finally airing my poor book journal! After too long sat beside my bed it's getting to see the world. I've only just discovered the amazing, exciting and enticing world of blogs! Thanks to Ellie from musingsofabookshopgirl. It seems finally there is an end to the glazed look in people's eyes when they ask me if am enjoying  my books and they get a very very long speech about how good the plot is, who I like in it and who I don't, what line I hope and wish the plot takes and normally finished with "generally I like it, you should read it so I have someone to talk about it with" at which point they go "uh yea sure" while fumbling for there keys and running to the nearest exist! 

Am hoping this will become a sort of review/discussion blog tho am hoping it will sort of shape itself as to whatever comes out of my head as am typing away, am sure there are many more experienced blogger shaking their heads at me going "Noooooooo you fool" so any advice will be warmly welcome as am finding me feet. Am hoping to also find me feet regarding the writing since its been a long time since I wrote anything that wasn't a essay or reviews for my own eyes only, which tend to be scribbles of plot outline (so I can remember the books) favorite quotes in the books if any stand out, and if to do more author research to find more books. 

At the moment am really into Dark Fantasy, it seems a little rut am in, though I am really enjoying The Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris  novels am currently on book 5 and kicking myself for not reading them earlier. Having never seen True Blood I didn't know really what to expect but wanted to read the books before looking at the show. Anyone else have that rule where they will try to read the books before seeing the film/tv show version? 

Am also listening to A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness when walking, am enjoying it though have to admit two things, first is that am enjoying it but not become consumed by it, if that makes sense to anyone. The second is I know it's set in Oxford but having spent so long in Cambridge most of the time am picturing Cambridge then she describes streets etc. hey they are similar

After these series I think I might try some Autobiographies  maybe something in the True Crime area or a different fiction like Dan Brown. Unless of course one of my favorite authors brings something new out, then am forced to read that straight way, what?!? It would be rude not to :P 

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog I will leave you with a photo from where I was reading yesterday .........